Publications


Cost-Benefit Aspects of Food Irradiation Processing Cost-Benefit Aspects of Food Irradiation Processing.
Proceedings of a Symposium, Aix-en-Provence, France, March 1993. IAEA, Vienna (1993). STI/PUB/905 (505 pp., 75 figures).

Summary

The symposium, attended by some 100 participants, discussed the economic benefits of irradiation to control a number of foodborne diseases, especially those originating from consumption of food of animal origin and of its use as a quarantine treatment for fresh fruits and vegetables. Case studies on the economic feasibility of food irradiation in developing countries were presented, as well as the experience in marketing irradiated food in the USA and elsewhere. From the presentations and discussion, the following may be concluded:

  1. The enormous health and economic costs of foodborne diseases are not well recognized by most governments. As a consequence, the potential role of irradiation in reducing foodborne diseases has, in general, not been fully examined. All governments should take steps to establish or improve their foodborne disease surveillance programme in order to assess the true incidence and impact of various foodborne diseases in the country. Efforts should then be made to estimate the economic costs of these diseases, including direct and indirect costs, to establish priorities for public health intervention and to motivate policy makers to consider appropriate prevention and control programmes. With the increasing awareness of microbiological risks associated with foods, especially those of animal origin and those to be consumed raw or minimally processed, national authorities and the food industry should evaluate the costs and benefits of using irradiation to ensure safety of the product and to protect the health of the consumer.
  2. While commercial application of food irradiation is increasing worldwide, regulations governing trade in irradiated food in most countries are not harmonized. Governments are urged to issue broad regulations based on the principles of the Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods and its associated Code of Practice to facilitate international trade in such commodities.
  3. In view of the effectiveness of irradiation as a broad spectrum quarantine treatment of fresh fruits and vegetables, governments are urged to take steps to accept this application of food irradiation as an alternative to fumigation.
  4. Food irradiation facilities in developing countries are mostly in the public sector. To achieve fruitful transfer of technology, the private sector should be involved in this technology to demonstrate the techno-economic feasibility of this process on a commercial scale.
  5. As it is likely that additional radiation processing capacity will be needed by the food industry in the near future, further development of machine radiation sources should be strengthened to meet the need, especially for incorporation into lines of production.
  6. Governments, professional organizations, the food industry and other concerned parties should make greater efforts in disseminating accurate information with regard to cost and benefits of irradiation as a method of reducing food losses and foodborne diseases and to expand food trade.